Gary Shirley denies being on food stamps

This week Reality Weekly published a story claiming Teen Mom star Amber Portwood’s baby daddy, Gary Shirley, and their 3-year-old daughter, Leah, are living on food stamps. According to the report, Gary was forced to apply for assistance after blowing all of his Teen Mom money on cars and booze!

Reality Weekly‘s source alleges Gary quit his job as a home health care provider and is now nearly bankrupt! The source adds that Gary had been making six figures while on Teen Mom, but “spent it faster than he made it” on cars, partying, electronics, and more.

The source continued to allege that Leah, who’s mom just began serving a five-year sentence, has been living with Gary’s mom, Carol, and Gary helps support her with his unemployment check. The mag goes so far as to say Gary became spoiled with his Teen Mom salary, and with the show coming to an end, has become “too lazy to go back to getting a real job.”

Not one to back down, Gary has responded to the claims on Twitter by writing, “Not that there’s anything wrong with Food Stamps I don’t have any. Whatever “friend” sold this story just sells me out for Lil but of $” He added, “I take care of my kid and the friends that have sold the stories I know which ones I don’t associate w them so they make dumb stuff up.”

Reality Weekly‘s source had also claimed that he and Leah were living off Twinkies and sugary cereals — but not so fast! Gary’s offers evidence to the contrary with this photo accompanied by the tweet, “This is Leah’s and my cereal and Milk look at date on Milk. Suck Tabloid”

See? That story is a “Total” fabrication. They’re gonna be “soy” they ever said anything! (I actually spent some time on Google and figured out that’s a carton of Almond Breeze vanilla almond milk by Blue Diamond.)

In addition to all of this, Gary told fans weeks ago that although his mom watches Leah occasionally, she isn’t her sole provider. He also explained that Leah lives with him full time.

I’m pretty sure it’s difficult to get government assistance because you spent your huge paycheck on cars, electronics, and partying – don’t they go by your income and not your bank account?

Im surprised so much is made out of Gary possibly taking food stamps when Chelsea was on welfare (she clearly stated in the episode when her wisdom teeth were pulled she was on welfare which was over 1 year after Auburee was born). I just hope Leah is being taking care and happy of no matter who is doing it and how it is paid for.

Alexis

I wondered if that whole welfare deal was for the cameras. They have to appear to not have money and since she didn’t have a job she couldn’t really say she had her own insurance. She is under 26 so she can still be covered by her parents.

Kellie

They have to “appear not to have money”? Farrah drives a freaking mini cooper and just moved to a condo in Florida .. with no “job”. Oh and she BOUGHT a puppy from a PET STORE, where it probably cost over $1000 (don’t even get me started on the pet store buying thing UGH) Doesn’t sound like a life that can be lived when you have no money.

connic

Exactly!! Both Amber and Kail have been on welfare and the housing programs.

Jessica

Chelsea was on Medicaid. Not welfare. Medicaid is for insurance. I’m sure if her dad has insurance it’s probably a private plan with a ridiculous deductible ($20000 for example) like most private plans have. So I can understand her getting help with her insurance.

Paula

Who cares how he pays for his groceries?

girl101

I agree! As long as he’s proving Leah with all she needs, who cares, right?

Jenn

I care if he’s on food stamps. Fat**s makes more than me a year and I pay Indiana taxes so yes I want to know if he is abusing the system.

Leah’s balanced meals

Thank you! While not a citizen of Indiana, I do CARE when someone who has more than adequate means to care for themselves and their family abuses the system. Amber did it when she got “subsidized” housing by claiming she made less than $10k a year. I had wondered why that house was going for only $644 a month! I work my ass off to make $20k a year before taxes so I can pay for my rent, food and bills. I don’t have cable, drive a 15 year-old car, no luxuries, and no savings to speak of. So when I see someone abusing the system, as a person who works to barely make ends meet, I take it personally!

LC

So because he’s stupid, the kid ought to starve? Just because your life is great doesn’t mean that everyone else is like you. Get over yourself.

Debbie

This is an other case of so called friends or relatives selling storys for their own financial gain. Gary is right to cut these people out his life he has Leah to focus on who needs him now Ambers in jail. X

Donna Akers

Who cares how he pays for their groceries? I do! Gary is a grown man, fully capable of WORKING at a JOB. He could have used his Teen Mom money to get an education, perhaps learn a trade. I guess that would interfere with “Gary Time” while Amber marinates in jail cell. Those two are epic failures as parents, while us tax payers foot the bill for their bad life decisions.

Jenn

THANK YOU!!!

Leah’s balanced meals

Amen to that! They could have had a little fun with the $$$ while still investing the majority wisely for the future and Gary could be getting an education. But since he’s a lazy ass who thinks he’s an A-list celebrity who will always be in demand so why go out and get some new skills? Home healthcare does not automatically mean good money – given his lack of education and having only worked previously as a CNA, he probably wasn’t making a salary that did more than make ends meet, without the frills. He’s basically a glorified blood-pressure taker, so yes, furthering his education so he could COMFORTABLY take care of his family in the future would be an appropriate thing to invest in. But that would interfere with “GARY TIME”, God forbid!
And if these people on these reality shows sit down and think about it, they are “marked” for the rest of their lives – they will forever be known in society as “that person from (insert name of show here)”. In 99% of cases there will be some bias against them being employed, as many employers won’t want the distraction and negative publicity of having such a person on their payroll – so a strong education is even more crucial to these folks after their 15 minutes of fame is up!

mzm

I dont know why you care if he receives food stamps. Mind your own god damn business. When there is a child involved it does not matter how she receives food as long as she is getting it. Gary is a great father and not an epic failure. I pray for the sake of your own children, how dare you pass judgment on someone else. And he does have a trade hes a home healthcare provider! know it all! get a life and grow up stop following teen mom and worry about your own family.

sanoga

HAHA I love how, in the same sentence, you reveal that you know more about Gary’s personal life than anyone else on the comment thread, yet you then chastise us for “following Teen Mom” and tell us to “get a life and grow up.”

Leah’s balanced meals

Thank you!

whoa

He may have a “trade” by being a home care provider, but he isn’t using that trade to make money to care for his child. Instead he is living off of MTV and that will run out. Once the show ends people will not care about him or his “Gary Time” crap. Funny how he is this great father while he is out doing the same thing as the other mom’s are when they get bashed for it. He has the be the only parent in Leah’s life right now, so pushing the child onto his mother while he goes out and parties all the time is not him being a “great” father. Sure he is caring for her which is more then Amber is doing, but he is far from being a great parent. A great parent would be working to put money back for their child and not relying on a paycheck to come when an episode of a TV show airs.

whoa

I forgot to add, many of these mom’s are going to school or working while taking care of their child. Gary isn’t doing either of those things, if they are going to get bashed for going out and having some fun, then his ass better get the same treatment for not going to school or working plus going out every weekend.

Candy

Think of the federal tax dollars we collectively contribute to the welfare system. I don’t know about you, but I could put more into my childrens’ college fund if I wasn’t taxed so heavily. I want to take care of my own kids, and ensure their future. We are free to do as we please, however that means we are free to be stupid. We other people’s stupidity interferes with taking care of my children, then yes I have every right to say where and who the money goes too.

whoa

It is hard for him to get a real job when he is out every weekend partying. These mom’s get bashed left and right for going out on the weekends or taking trips without their children, but Gary does it ALL THE TIME. How do you think there are all these pictures of the Teen Mom’s and their friends with Gary? Because he is going out of town without his child as well. I am sure that he takes care of Leah, but he is just as bad as these mom’s. When I see proof of him working a REAL job then I will cut him some slack. Seeing as how I have family who pay IN taxes, then knowing whether or not he is on food stamps is actually pretty important. His little picture of cereal and soy milk doesn’t mean he isn’t on food stamps either.

Leah’s balanced meals

Agreed – although I seriously do question how much he actually “takes care of Leah” – while all parents need a respite from time to time, it’s amazing how much he DOES leave his kid with his mom, the babysitter, etc. Yet everyone seems to think he’s the World’s Greatest Daddy because he takes pics of himself with his kid and appears to take care of her on an edited “reality” tv show. And no, the pic of the cereal and milk doesn’t prove he isn’t on food stamps OR that he and Leah eat a healthy diet – for all we know he took that pic at the local grocery store while buying a cart full of sugar and fatty, starchy empty calorie foods. He amazes me with his stupidity sometimes!

whoa

Exactly! If they are eating oh so healthy then he wouldn’t be the size that he is, sorry but total cereal and soy milk doesn’t make up for the othe unhealthy foods he is clearly consuming.

I also wonder how much he actually takes care of her. He is always out of town or out partying all weekend. Posting pictures of you with your kid doesn’t make you a good parent, and MTV editing doesn’t mean he is a good parent either.

the dogs mommy

Gary is a fat lazy slob. He should consider weightloss surgery or something. I am sure he is probably on food stamps. Poor Leah she has a bleak future with her misguided lazy parents. I used to wonder if Amber was handicapped because she was always sitting on her ass on the couch or laying in bed. Gonna be a long road for that poor kid.

Green

Fact is a big, strong boy like Gary has no business being a CNA in the first place. Would you want him to give your Granny a bath and dress her? I don’t think so. I worked as a CNA and I made $7.00 per hour. Hardly enough to raise a family on, but then I was single and no children. For him to sit on his lazy ass while able to work is sickening. Yes, we can judge when our money is feeding this slug. He can get a decent job and buy food with his OWN money! How about that! That is being a productive citizen and a good parent at the same time!

texaco

i dont think the teen moms should be paid for there time on tv. They should be greatful for the exposure and continue working normal jobs like normal teen moms. after the first couple of seasons, they become rich enough to not be considered ‘struggling young parents’

GOP2012

Gary should hop over a state to PA. I make 20 bucks an hour as a CNA. But then it’s really hard work and expectations are high for me. I don’t want to be mean but I don’t know how someone that size can do the job. It looks like reality tv has made him lazy….

GOP2012

Oh. He lives in Indiana. 2 states from PA. My mistake

K.Jones

This story is highly unlikely to be true, 1st because anyone who has won a large lottery ($10,000 or more)is UNABLE to recieve Food Stamps along with other State benifits ( I know he hasnt won the lottery, just using that as an example ), So seeing how ALL the cast members of Teen Mom are paid over $100,000 per Season, Gary along with everyone else from the show would NOT be eligible to recieve any benifits. 2nd Food Stamp benifits are based on Income, for a 2 person family (Gary & Leah) the income limit per month is UNDER $1200 to be able to get benifits, With Garys Teen Mom Salary he is well ABOVE the limits to get Food Stamps. It does NOT matter how much money he has left, its based on how much Money he has been PAID…….Now on to my problem with the comments that have been made, You people are saying He’s abusing the system and using YOUR tax paid dollars, Well if this sttory had been true then NO he isnt using YOUR tax dollars, he would in fact be using HIS OWN, along with AMBER’S. Any income over $5000 per year must be reported to the IRS and is Taxed, The fact that Both Amber and Gary have made over $100,000 each from MTV, Their salaries have been taxed so he would be using HIS OWN tax paid dollars, NOT YOURS

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